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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
Following his 126 yards and 3 catches vs Texas A&M this past Saturday night, most arriving on a blistering, career high 76 yard slant touchdown, LSU redshirt sophomore WR Aaron Anderson is becoming an unlikely hero among Cortez Hankton's receiving corps.
While many spent the offseason casting Kyren Lacy, Chris Hilton Jr and transfer portal arrival CJ Daniels as the new WRU power trio, or whether it was Shelton Sampson's time to rise as a depth option, the speedy, hardnosed Anderson took notice and got to work.
A Boot boy straight outta New Orleans powerhouse Edna Karr, Anderson was an elite 5 star prospect when he first committed to LSU back in early 2021, when Ed Orgeron still coached the Tigers.
Once AD Scott Woodward fired Orgeron, simultaneously occuring with the departure of WRs Coach Mickey Joseph, Anderson's commitment left with them, unthinkably joining up with Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide.
But Aaron's time in Tuscaloosa didn't go to plan, enduring an injury and playing just 1 total snap throughout a lost, red shirt-gathering 2022 freshman debut.
Needing a fresh start, Anderson went straight back home to Louisiana to suit up for the Tigers, although once again, his return went nowhere close to plan....at first.
During the Tigers' juggernaut offensive season in 2023, Anderson was MIA, receiving very little opportunities or targets to work from....and when Heisman-winning QB Jayden Daniels threw the ball his way, often times a miscommunication or poor play would arise....making the weight on Anderson's shoulders even heavier as he battled back from a lengthy injury layoff.
There was even a controversial moment where Nick Saban approached Anderson, now his former player, and told him on national television, "you know you'd play a lot more here...."
Despite all the transfer temptations or doubts, Anderson wasn't in full game shape yet, and needed a season to get back into football fitness without another injury relapse.
Watching on as 1st round Draft picks Malik Nabers & Brian Thomas Jr transformed into the most productive receiving duo in college football, challenging Chase & Jefferson numbers from 2019, Nabers the all time leading receiver in LSU history or Thomas, ranking first in the nation for receiving touchdowns.....it all made the competitive, driven Anderson even hungrier to get back on the field and showcase his potent pace & next level athleticism.
So, he worked....he grinded, impressing the entire LSU coaching staff, namely Head Coach Brian Kelly, with his relentless dedication.
Regardless of his rise behind the scenes, during Spring and Fall Camp all the talk, all the media filmed highlights prominently featured Lacy, Hilton, Daniels, Sampson, Pimpton....but almost nothing regarding Anderson.
Starting with LSU's first game of the 2024 season, a stormy, defensive, grim reaper festival in Las Vegas, Anderson rose up for his team when the chips were down, constantly bailing his offense out with critical 3rd down receptions (13), tough grabs in traffic, taking nasty hits as he still hurled his way forward for extra yards....it's no wonder why the former 5 star is turning into one of Garrett Nussmeier's ultimate trusted targets.
In a play that will forever stand as one of the clutchest catches in LSU history, Anderson's 4th down TD catch vs Ole Miss, a do or die play to send the game into overtime (which ended in a quick Tigers win), didn't just showcase how far Anderson had arrived since the injury, his recruiting saga, or year in the wilderness at Alabama....that historic moment magnified the player Anderson had always been...the player he is now free to fully become.
Reeling in 13 conversions on 3rd or 4th down, including 2 of his 4 TDs, Anderson is enjoying his most productive season, converting 28 first downs through the air (2nd on the team, just 4 behind Lacy), 12 missed tackles forced (1st on the team), while Nussmeier targeted Anderson 52 times overall (3rd).
Cobbling together 614 yards (6th in the SEC), 36 catches, averaging 17.1 per catch, 4 receiving TDs (scoring against USC, South Alabama, Ole Miss and A&M), Anderson is tearing it up for the Tigers, not just as an individual amassing empty statistics, but as a true game-changing tour de force who's only just scratching the surface of his tremendous capabilities.
Once considered a "speedy specialist" by a large portion of Tiger fans, media, and perhaps even a few of his coaches, Anderson continues to prove he possesses the tools & mentality to be a complete receiver.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
©️ 2024 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
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